Posted on 07/19/2003 5:03:28 AM PDT by Elkiejg
THE LINE ON FEINSTEIN
With a recall in California of Gov. Gray Davis all but certain, some Democrats who earlier publicly claimed little interest in running to replace him are privately backing off those promises to the embattled governor. According to several Democratic insiders in California, Sen. Dianne Feinstein has privately expressed a willingness to throw her hat into the ring should the political realities inside the state make it obvious that Davis has little chance of retaining his position.
The hedging is probably due in part to the nature of the California recall ballot. In this case voters would be asked if Davis should be recalled or not and then on the same ballot allowed to choose a replacement from a list of candidates. No Democrat will want to appear on the ballot if he thinks Davis has any chance to hold on and in effect win re-election at their expense.
Another Democrat seriously considering a run is former White House Chief of Staff and congressman Leon Panetta. "He could easily step in and raise the money for a campaign within two weeks of announcing," said a state Democratic Party official. "He's been out of politics for more than two years now, but the machine, while it's been in the garage a while, is gassed up and ready to go."
Panetta most likely would not run were Feinstein to enter the race. Feinstein's decision to go ahead most likely rests in the hands of Republicans, about whom there are growing doubts. "Davis's negative material on [recall activist Rep. Darrell] Issa isn't having as powerful an effect as we thought it would," says a state Republican Party staffer. "But at the same time polling numbers are flattening out for [rumored favorite Arnold] Schwarzenegger and Issa both."
If it appears unlikely that either man can win a plurality, look for Feinstein to jump into the fray for a position she has always coveted.
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Do you really think the Democrats are going to lose a seat in the senate for months perhaps a year. And if the Democrats turn on Davis and the courts let him survive, there would be real payback time.
Now picture this scenario:
Diane resigns from the senate after winning the recall. She takes the governors seat. Gray Davis takes the constitutionality of the Recall to the 9th circuit court. Being the most liberal federal court in the land, it takes the case.
Diane appoints her successor in the senate. The Republicans in the Senate refuse to seat Diane's replacement until the courts rule on the Constitutionality of the recall law. For if the court rules it is unconstitutional, Diane is not governor and can't appoint a successor. Gray Davis would be put back in office if the Recall is illegal. But Diane's resignation has been accepted and it sticks.
Thus the Senate goes from 48 Democrats to 47 and Democratic filibusters get a lot harder to do. Now consider that it matters not if davis wins or not, Diane is out of the Senate once she resigns. If Davis wins the suit she can't get her Senate seat back unless Gray Davis appoints her...... fat Chance of Gray doing that. Diane is not that stupid.
No one knows what the 9th circuit court will do... except perhaps Gray Davis, Diane Feinstein and Terry McAulliff.
This is Republican propaganda pure and simple and the only people that will believe it are the politically amateurish recall people in California.
Well, maybe they won't "run". They'll "campaign" or "stump" or any of a dozen other verbs. After B.C., every utterance by a Democrat is mutable. Which makes sense, since their reading of what the law says is equally fluid.
When the recall happens, the new governor takes office the next day. And if it's Feinstein, she names her replacement in the Senate. FRom the Democrats poit of view, this would be great. Feinstein was getting kind of tired of the job, and this would be a good way to guarantee a younger incumbent to defend the seat into the indefinite future.
And if the Democrats turn on Davis and the courts let him survive, there would be real payback time.
Like what? He's already wounded, his party hates him and he knows it. The legislature has already shifted into high gear, shoving every leftist fantasy bill at him that he's now in no position to veto lest what remains of his tattered base deserts him. If he survives by some miracle, he won't be stronger, he'll be weaker, and a lame duck besides. He's in no position to exact retribution.
Excuse me but...'Democratic filibusters'...have yet to start in the Senate - ONLY threats to filibuster and Republican cowardice to force the actual filibuster.
You need to ask the Homosexuals in Texas how that works.
Right now, that's my best scenario.
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